Podcasting For Education

I am an elementary principal, and I have been posting on Facebook and Twitter for some time a segment I like to call “Reasons Why I Love My Job.” It seems to have generated some interest and most importantly, educators can relate to the day-to-day life of school. So, here are some of the reasons I love my job. Hope you enjoy. Share if you like, and feel free to add some of your own in the … [Read more...]

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When I was a kid my father used to take me to the golf course so I could walk along the ditch as he played. I got 25¢ for every golf ball I found. 50¢ if it was a keeper. I remember thinking that it looked like a fun game to play, but also wondered why so many golfers would want to hit their balls into the ditch so … [Read more...]

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I taught in the classroom for twelve years before I became a principal, which I have been doing for eight years. If you do the math (which isn't that difficult) I have been involved in education as a career for 20 years. I have learned a lot in those years, and I still have plenty left to learn. But there is one thing I know as a principal that has helped me exponentially. It is … [Read more...]

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At kindergarten graduation, the last chance I had to formally address the parents at the school where I served as principal, this is what I said:
“I want you to save a date. It is 12 years from now. I don’t know the exact date. But it will be 12 years from now. It’s important. Make a note of it. Don’t lose sight of it. Keep talking with your children about it. It’s … [Read more...]

Teaching is the most important profession in the world. I may be biased in my opinion, but I'm also right. There is no other profession that touches more lives than teaching. The difference a teacher can make can span across generations. Others have careers and have pursued their dreams because of the education they received, and that education they received was most likely the result of a … [Read more...]

Over Easter vacation a few weeks ago, something happened that I can’t get out of my mind. My wife’s family conducted the annual egg hunt for all of the children, ranging in ages from seven to seventeen. The plastic eggs were hidden all over the yard, some filled with candy and others filled with various amounts of money. The kids scrambled all over the yard, screaming with delight as their … [Read more...]

Time. It’s one thing we all have in common. Everyone has 24 hours in their day. No more, no less. But when we are speaking of teachers, it feels like they have less time than others. Many of them don’t even have time for a bathroom break during the day. They are masters of maximizing every second of their day, making sure even transition times are measured down to the second to protect the … [Read more...]

Last week’s article focused on how using eye contact can help significantly when building relationships with your students. How just a few seconds of looking into someone’s eyes can give them the feeling of comfort and care, and let’s them know you are thinking about them and focusing on them. Nothing else matters for that brief moment except them. Teachers who have “it” make this a priority in … [Read more...]